How do classic games on the iPhone like Monopoly and Doom stack up against the real thing?
Here are some games with household names that are also available as iPhone apps. Make sure to check out their iPhone-specific features!
Word games that are iPhone apps
SCRABBLE for the iPhone comes with a built-in dictionary and multiple player options. The iPhone app retains the competitiveness of Scrabble, along with the resources to prove that the word you made up is actually real. For $4.99, Scrabble’s iPhone app is pricey, but holds up well to its real-world counterpart.
Boggle is missing the intensity of a hand-flipped hourglass, but its iPhone-specific shake feature makes it a fun mobile game in its own right. Multiple game options for timed play, challenge or classic mode add to the fun. I actually found that I prefer the single-game play for this $2.99 iPhone app, renewing my interest in the game.
iPhone apps which are board games
MONOPOLY Here & Now: World Edition for the iPhone makes for a quicker and more automated gaming experience, losing much of the competitiveness around this multi-player game. While the game itself is enjoyable due to updated features for auctioning unused property, the custom rules feature on this $4.99 app does not replace a good evening of family fun.
Trivial Pursuit was not a game you could play alone (well) until the iPhone app came out. The $4.99 app has single and multiple player options, giving you a chance to train or show off your skill. In this regard, the Trivial Pursuit iPhone app has its own set of benefits for iPhone use.
Chess Free will not cost you anything but your social capacity for real world interaction. As if chess players were not marginalized enough, the Chess Free app for the iPhone makes it an even more solitaire game. However, as chess is an addictive and easy game to play on one’s mobile device, Chess Free still gets my vote.
Chutes and Ladders leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to the iPhone app. The vintage magic of the classic board game is lost in this 99-cent app, with varied plot lines and a radical departure from the game we know and love. The lack of iPhone-specific or updated features makes me prefer the original over the mobile app.
From PC game to iPhone app
DOOM Classic transports our hero–a space marine–back to Mars, where he must vanquish hordes of demons. Despite the ill-attempt at turning this first-person shooter game into a cinematic franchise (starring Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson), this classic version for the iPhone does justice to the original PC game. The controls are a little imprecise (it’s tough making the transition from computer mouse/keyboard to touch controls), but once you master them prepare to battle the hellish invaders using a personal arsenal ranging from a standard issue pistol to a chainsaw. If you crave better graphics and more of an in-depth game story, check out DOOM Resurrection. Both games are rated 12+ and cost $6.99.
iPhone apps featuring card games
Live Poker by Zynga for the iPhone does not make me any better at the card game, but the popular app is still addictive. Highly social, Zynga’s poker for the iPhone lets you connect with Facebook friends for a round. Their user photos, however, do not replace the skill in reading facial expressions that help you win the game.
UNO for the iPhone has single- and- multiple-player modes. Priced at $4.99, UNO’s multiple-player mode slows down the excitement, as you have to pass your phone or be connected via WiFi. UNO tries to override this with custom rules and new cards, but it is not the same as sitting at a table with friends for a card game.
